


Foolish Pride

by AnonS28



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 23:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20415946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonS28/pseuds/AnonS28
Summary: Tiso lay fallen at the edge of the Kingdom. He thought it was the end. He was certain he was dead, and his foolish pride did him no good in the end.Then, the Champian of the Colosseum found him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> heeeya. welcome to my newest shit fic!
> 
> okay, so, really i only created this to branch out of sans undertale and have something else to whenever i'm working on my other fic. hence, small drabble like chapters and a lot of frequent updates.
> 
> my other fic i'm 100% gonna finish. this one? maybe, maybe not. it hopefully will be.

It's been hours, and I'm not even sure the asshole is alive. I took a final glance over to him, the broken figure huddled on my bed, before returning my gaze to the large beast awaiting me outside. Soon, the Colosseum’s daily trials would begin. Fools would once again flood the arena, anxious for the glory and geo that awaited them.

It was 3 in the morning, an hour before the colosseum opens. For the past several hours, I had been tending to the wounds of the sorry excuse for a warrior I drug up to my home above the peak of Kingdom's edge.  _ He should be eternally grateful for what the hell I’m doing, _ I thought. Not a soul rather than him has ever entered my world above the Colosseum, no one has glanced upon the empty caverns and beautiful roots that strung it together into a “home.” I don’t know why I chose to make him the first.

When I first saw him lying on the edge, curled up and cradling his cracked shell, I couldn’t help but feel pity.  _ Truly pathetic _ , I thought,  _ that he didn’t live long enough to face my blade. _ Few met the challenge. But for the God of the Colosseum to have not even heard of his arrival- Hell, he couldn’t have passed the first trial. I had then faced away, having realized the wonderful shade of blue that caught my eye was merely another fallen warrior. I was ready to leave his side and go home after a long day of fighting. Then, I heard a shift behind me.

Though I whipped around, I knew I had to have misheard. No bug thrown could survive a fall that far. And a weakling like him would most definitely not be the first.

Besides, the corpse looked exactly the same. He was certainly dead, and I knew in that moment that I needed to get home. With the infection just recently reaching the edges of the Kingdom, it was unwise to stay below the colosseum longer than necessary, less I wanted to speed up my own infection’s progression. Yet, curiosity prompted me to kneel at the warriors’ side and press two fingers to his neck. It seemed stupid in the moment, though with no one there to judge me, it couldn’t have hurt to confirm he was truly dead before I took my leave.

He wasn’t.

After that, it was a race to carry the dying warrior upwards past the Colosseum. I didn’t even consider why I was doing it at first; my first instinct was to try and save this one-in-a-million survivor. 

Though, as I carried the warrior and leapt up through the Kingdom’s edge, I reconsidered why I, a murderer of thousands, should bother to save a puny bug. I considered leaving the dead to rest. After all, this slain warrior would suffer no harsher a death than anyone else in the Colosseum. No, his death would be merciful by this Kingdom’s standards. At some point during the upwards trek, though, his breath caught in his throat, and he woke. It surprised me the most. He seemed to be in a hazy dream like state, and didn’t know where he was. I’m not sure he even knew I was there. He winced and gripped his chest, and with a throaty groan, he spoke.

“Why…?”

Needless to say, I caste away my doubts and continued my trek. He eventually passed out again, and I rushed home in a panic. I took to wrapping his wounds as soon as I returned.

Despite my best efforts, though, a steady pulse and incoherent mumblings were the only rewards I have yet to reap for my efforts to mend the small bug. And though I felt I needed to keep trying, I couldn't. I reached my hand outside into the foggy mist outside the tent, and my steed moved forward and nuzzled under it with a breathy snort of appreciation. I heard the warrier as he drew his next shallow breath, and made my decision.

He will be okay. But my Colosseum needs me.

  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heyooo. chapter two's here.
> 
> alright, this is the place where i should probably clarify where this fits in with the main hollow knight universe. this is technically a slight bit of an AU, where Tiso arrived to Hollownest before the infection fully took over, and before the infection reached Kingdom's edge. frankly, considering god tamer is infected ingame, that's the only way it could play out.
> 
> since the timeline of the infection is generally unknown, i basically just implied for plot that it reached the Colosseum late. it's confirmed that deepnest, fungal wastes, and the hive were infected right before the Knight's arrival, so I wouldn't say it's a stretch that the Colosseum was unmarked for a while, since The Hive was late.
> 
> anywho, with all the plot stuff outta the way, enjoy.

I remember every moment in slow motion.

One second I was fighting off Mawleks in the cramped space of the area, and the next… Well, the next moment, I blacked out. 

Regrettably, I had looked up before my final moment. In that moment, I had realized how small I was. How stupid. Crushed underneath the growling, infected beast. I was dying for the sake of glory. I… I realized how much I wanted to live another day much too late. I realized how little I cared about my pride at that moment.

After I was thrown over the edge of the colosseum, I thought I died. As I faded in and out of consciousness, I felt harsh wind creep it's way into the depths of my cracked shell. I heard the distant cry of the Colosseum. I felt snow-like ashes cover me. Was this what afterlife felt like…?

Vanishing from existence would have been better than coping with the skull-aching pain and my own defeated pride.

Soon, darkness clouded my mind, and dreams took over.

Dreams of a bright light. 

Dreams of a selfless ruler. 

Nightmares of a red heart.

Dreams of siblings reuniting.

Even dreams of the void itself.

When I woke, though, I felt something different from the harsh winds and hazy feverdreams. Something tangible. Something that must have been real.

Dust had been wiped off of my shell, and warm hands gripped the back of my shell and held me up. I was being carried by someone. They were leaping, and we were steadily ascending with urgency. The Colosseum roared louder above.

It hit me. I haven’t died. I was still alive.

I desperately forced my eyes open. That was a mistake. The light burned them quickly, and I sucked in sharp breath of air. All I could see of the stranger was a blur of reddish pink their armor likely gave off.

_ It… Hurts…. _

I gripped my chest and wheezed. Even breathing hurt. It made me question, why was I even alive? Why is a primal part of me desperately forcing me to hang on? Why has not death silenced me? I had failed even myself. Another chance wasn't something I was nessasarily worthy of. So… Why…?

"Why…?"


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> back again. can ya tell i got bored of writing mega long chapters about pun masters?
> 
> nah, nah, fr through, if you're here for an update on my other fic, it'll hopefully release soon.
> 
> yo, i'm also kinda looking for fandoms to either get into, or back into. i'm thinkin' bout finally looking at Moomin, Voltron and Shera, since all of those seem pretty popular. i also never watched AT, so add that to the list. 
> 
> anyways, if ya got some good book/show/series recs, shoot. i'm asking a fanbase full of bug's life enthusiasts and skeleton worshippers, so this should go perfectly.
> 
> wisecracks and sarcasm aside, enjoy the chapter.

A fierce shriek rang through my ears, loud enough to make my antenna quiver. I held fast and pressed my sword deeper against the push of the enemy. In front of me, my beast huffed and growled as it dug in and planted itself firmly on top of my target. As a last resort, my unfortunate little victim cried for mercy. I ignored it, and they soon, they felt limp on my sword and the incessant screeching seized.

The crowd roared, and Geo reigned from above. I mounted my steed and raised my sword, urging on the crowd’s splendor as I collected my winnings. Even if every single Geo went right back to the Colosseum's fund, there was still a sense of pride I had in collecting my winnings. I dramatically flicked the residue soul off my blade, and rode out to the exit of the arena.

“Tamer! Greetings, Champion!” A voice pipped up. At the very entrance, a small fool was strung up upside down. He seemed pleased to see me.  _ I can’t believe he’s still alive,  _ I thought with a snort. At least he was helpful.

“Hello, Little Fool.” I hummed, jumping off my stag to examine the boards. “Hm. Trial admissions gone up, hasn’t it?” I mulled. I had come here for answers, yet a bit of time thrown into small talk couldn’t hurt matters. He excitedly nodded. “Yes! The Colosseum almost sold out! Can you believe it?” I raised an eyebrow.  _ Was my performance today that good?  _ If I was any less prestigious, I would have gasped. Instead, I veiled my surprise with a smirk. “Hm. Par for the course, Little Fool.” He grinned. “Of course! There’s been a raise in tournament marks, too!” I inspected the boards. We were finally on the topic I was digging for. I stabbed my weapon into the ground and leaned against the first trial board. My beast seemed to get the message that he would be here a while, and rested his head on the pavement.

“So tell me, Fool, what newcomers have entered as of recent?” He thought a couple of moments, before giving me a smug look. “Well, I can certainly think of one you’ll take an interest in! Last week, we got an amazing treat; Would you believe The Gendered Child paid us a visit?” I almost choked. Though we were derailing from the conversation I wanted to have, I couldn’t help but become curious. “Truly? And here I thought someone as pretentious as her would not risk her life here. Did she enter a trial, by chance?” His gaze dropped, and he shook his head. “Well… No… She said she was just passing, but really! She looked like she was complementing it!” I sighed.  _ How disappointing. She would have been a formidable foe. _

“Who else, then.” I waved him on. He hesitated. It seemed he couldn’t think of anyone else rather than normal entrees that need not be mentioned. I wondered again why I would even waste my time here when there was someone I needed to tend to at home. I began to dig my sword back out, when the small bug shouted. “Oh! Oh, I know!” I stopped, dug my sword back in, and bore my full attention on him. “A scrawny warrior came in yesterday. Early in the morning! He seemed confident, but everyone was already making bets against his survival…” I perked up. Bingo. 

“How far did he get…?” The bound figure cringed. “W-Well... He actually did really well… We didn’t tell you since we were sure he would perish before he reached you, but… He made it to the Trial of the Fool.” I scoffed. No wonder I never heard of the warrior before his demise.  _ With staff as poor as this, _ I resentfully thought,  _ I wouldn’t hear a peep if the Pale King himself returned to challenge me.  _

“How did he die?” I questioned. The words rolled off my tongue with the same secrecy of lies. He was very clearly alive, and though misleading the people closest to me, it would be foolish to mention him.

“The Mawlek crushed him. He never saw it coming.” The Fool replied. I sighed. Not surprising. That beast had blind sighted many a warrior. Though, most could afford the initial hit. Someone as physically weak as him… clearly could not. “You know, he was pretty decent, actually. Smart with a powerful weapon, though his weak defense was his downfall. His shield is downstairs in the weapon’s room if you want to try it!” The Fool offered. I nodded. If he was awoken, it would make sense to return it to him. Well, after ensuring he wasn’t a threat.

“Thank you. Fool?”

“Yes, Champion?”

I paused. What was I doing? I couldn’t ask. It would be a stupid question for someone of my renown. But, I had already garnered the Fool’s attention. I continued.

“What was the warrior’s name, by chance?” I asked. He seemed surprised by the question, but didn’t miss a beat. “His mark is the last on the board. He calls himself ‘Tiso.’”

Tiso. Not a bad name.

“Mm. Thank you, Fool. Take care.” I paused and turned back to him. “You know… One day, your contribution will pay off. Lord Fool will let you prove your worth in battle.” Empty words and false promises, but they still put a smile on the small one’s face. He nodded. “Take care, Champion.”

“And you, Fool.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya fools. back again with another chapter.
> 
> y'all, not gonna lie, i'm havin a tonna fun with this fic. the chapters are so short it takes like 5-10 minutes to make each one, minus any editing. plus, tiso's a lovable dumbass. no shit, i've kinda considered looking into how team cherry's code is structured and making a lil tiso fight mod, y'know? like, a dreamnail boss type thing like WD and Zote the Mighty. after all, the community doesn't have enough mods.
> 
> aaanyways, enjoy.

I groaned. I still felt like shit.

So, yeah. My thoughts earlier were over dramatic, but I was delirious and literally dying. Of course I was over dramatic!

Whatever.  _ I have a clear mind now, _ I reasoned to myself.  _ I can just forget about.. Those weird dreams.  _

_ The Red Heart. The Light. The Void. _

_ ….Whatever the hell a ‘Gorb’ Is _ .

I shifted uncomfortably. Of all the hazy, half dreams and hallucinations my mind conjured, I still distinctly remembered the one memory I knew was real. The pink figure who carried me. Who were they…? Where did they take me? Were they even real?

As soon as I woke up, I knew I couldn't move. A deep ache in my shell warned against it. I was in a small, barbaric-est room. Cloth hung over the wooden support beams, well built yet tacky in an almost admirable way. The shells of everything from Primal Aspids to the Cities’ fallen guards hung on metal stakes and adored the otherwise plain room. Candles provided the only light, and a large chandelier hung just in the corner of my limited sight. Sweet-smelling smoke wafted from some unseen shelve, likely from an incense burner. Rather than that, I couldn't see much from where I was in the puffy-blanket covered bed.  


So, I made a resolution. These mysteries wouldn’t solve themselves. No matter how much pain I needed to endure, I would get up, and figure out where I was. I couldn’t be that badly injured, right?

Wrong.

I did manage to get up, but I all but screamed doing it. Pain shot through my body as soon as I started to try, but it hardly broke my will. My vision blurred and turned red with intense pain, and I cried out, yanking myself the rest of the way up fast. After I managed to sit up, though, it was hardly a celebration I sat on the edge of the bed, wheezing and clutching my clearly broken shell. After somewhat recovering, I looked up to the rest of the room and waited for my eyes to focus.  


It was much more lavish than I previously thought. The wooden foundation was finely carved, and the cloth looked to be much stronger and more expensive than I gave it credit for. A campfire fine enough to be considered a fireplace adored the center of the room, unlit above the chandelier. Incense and books lined shelves and window sills, giving the room a small hint of sophistication. Sharp and shiny weapons lined the walls, and a previously unseen wall held the skull of a creature big enough to be a Wyrm. This all went without mentioning the hoards of Geo that silken sacks around the room held. Spare, overflowing riches littered the floor. I admired the sight, and nodded in approval to myself.

Impressive, but I could do better.

Bracing myself again, I prepared myself and stood to my feet. Though I had to hold on to the buildings constructs and whimpered, it was much less painful than I thought it would be. I huffed and tried my hardest to retain balance. If I fell, I wasn’t sure I could get up again. This warrior may have found me in a pitiful state, but I will be damned if a great warrior like me had to be heaped off the floor twice!

I managed to make my way to a small desk. I quickly plopped down into the chair with a loud yelp. I picked up the mirror that caught my eye.

My pride never shattered faster.

I was a complete mess. My hood was crooked and somewhat torn, with dirt and ash smudged on the previously spotless fabric. One antenna was twisted in an unholy mess that I didn’t dare mess with yet. This all went without mentioning the long, twisting, bleeding crack in my shell. No wonder everything aches and burned.

I looked like I belonged in a health ward, not a Colosseum.

I gently placed the mirror back down and sighed. This wasn’t what I was looking for. And I wouldn’t let myself dwell on it.

So, I dug through the rest of the papers on the desk. Most were letters to a group only mentioned by ‘Management,’ and some, I found, were official Colosseum licenses and documents. Whoever lived here… Whoever saved me… They were seemingly more important than I previously thought.

I searched deeper. I needed to find a name. In my time in the Colosseum, I found out the names of acquaintances I made among other fighters. Maybe one of them saved me?

Finally, I found something useful. A birthday card from last spring. It was addressed to…

“God Tamer.”

Not a bad name. 

…Mine is better, though.

I sighed and placed the papers in a neat stack, as they were before. I had rummaged through and found what I wanted. I was saved by a respected Colosseum official who called themselves God Tamer.

Well, that posed more questions than it answered.

After becoming satisfied with the arrangement of the desk, I rose to my feet again and began to slowly and wobbly walk back to the other side of the room. I might as well go back to bed-

I yelped as I slid on a geo coin, and fell, hard, onto the ground below. Pain shot through my thoroughly abused shell, and I howled. The pain was blinding, enough to make tears well up in my eyes.  _ It hurt. So, so bad.  _ Getting up in the first place was a horrible idea. I knew I couldn’t sit up again, but I knew I had to try. I hoisted myself up on unsteady arms, and cried out as my arms gave out and I collapsed again and my shell bumped the ground. I simply lay defeated.

“Tiso?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya. this fic may go on hiatus soon, just so y'know. my other one is my main one i should work on, after all... well, honestly...
> 
> it's either going on hiatus, or im bullshitting you and i'll plop another chapter down at 3 am when i get bored of writing the other one. who knows.
> 
> just a warning in case it does, though.
> 
> enjoy!

_ The Fool! _ I ran into my home, dropped my weapons at the door, and skidded on my knees to the side of the fallen warrior. Anger coursed through my veins. _ The absolute idiot! Why in the HELL would he- _

“H-Help…” I heard him whisper. I paused and looked down. He lay in a weak heap, tears in his tightly shut eyes, and...

His shell had fractured more.

I pushed my anger aside and forced myself to focus on the task at hand. I reached down and gently rolled him onto his back, and slipped my hands under his knees and torso to lift him up. He wasn't looking good. He had broke out into a cold sweat, and his own fangs dug into his lip. I knew he had to be in a world of pain. _ How the hell did he even get up?! _

This bastard owes me all the Geo in the Kingdom, and most the Rosaries in the next.

I set him down on the bed again, much to his appreciation, and sat next to him. His breathing seemed to calm, and I sighed. As much as I wanted to gripe at him for his utter stupidity, I knew he needed to lie down and rest. _ Like he should have been doing, the damn- _

I took a deep breath and looked down. He was peering up at me with blatant curiosity, but lowered his gaze when I met his.

“So. You got your ass kicked by a Mawlek.” His face flushed red with fury and his glare shot up at me.

“I call blasphemy! It literally CRUSHED me! That has to be against Colosseum rules-”

“-Nope, perfectly legal-”

“-SHUT IT! A warrior as great as me fairs perfectly fine in a fair fight! But that was beyond unfair! I am the murder of hundreds, I have traveled MANY Kingdoms, and never in my life have I ever seen such utter BU-”

I rolled my eyes as he rambled on and on. He was surprisingly sprightly for someone who couldn’t catch his breath just a moment ago.

Not to mention he had an ego larger than my beast.

But, I couldn’t lie that I found it amusing. With his face flushed crimson, wearing an expression of spite, well, he didn’t even register how scared of me he should have been at this moment. Anyone else would have been terrified to be in a barbaric stranger’s house unarmed. Maybe he was just as much of an idiot as he seemed.

"-AND THAT, I say, is why I will become Champion of the Colosseum!" He concluded. I snorted. This was adorable.

"I'm sure you will, once you're not on your deathbed." His face, who's color had faded, lit up bright red again. I almost laughed.

"HEY!" He shouted. I gave in and chuckled. He didn't look pleased by this, and opted to cross his arms over his chest. He then proceeded to yelp in pain when his own arms brushed his forgotten injury. I broke up cackling.

"Rude… I'll show you..." He murmured with quiet resentment. I forced down my chuckles, and patted his arm. "Sorry, Sorry. I couldn't help myself. But, my little fool, do you not think it would do you good to heal before returning to the Colosseum? After all, you won't make the first trial with a shell that cracked."

He seemed to ponder this. For a moment, I stared at him in shock, wondering if he was _ actually _considering going back like this. But, he slowly began to nod, and I sighed.

"I… Suppose it would be smart to regain my full strength. After all, though I could still win like this, the Colosseum fans deserve to see me in my pure, fullest glory!" I winced. I could almost _ taste _the narcissism. At least he was a smart egomaniac. I nodded in agreement with him, deciding to play his game.

"Of course. Now that you're awake, how about we eat and fix your shell in place? A warrior as, uh, _ strong _ as you deserves a fine feast," I offered. He nodded.

"Fair. I suppose that will give me time to ask you a few… questions.” He looked me over again with slight suspicion. I nodded and stood, leaving to start making our food. So he was at least wary of me.

Maybe he wasn’t too stupid after all.

Once I got up, I heard him shifting and grumbling behind me. I knew what he was doing, and whipped around, shooting him a glare that spoke for itself: _ You just fell on your ass and almost died. Do you really want me to pick you up again? _

He settled back into the pillows, and I returned to my task.

After blowing out the incense and most of my candles, I lit the fire in the center of the room and moved to grab my bag that I had abandoned at the door to save the damned idiot. I dug through, passing Tiso’s shield and my own share of Geo and pulling out today’s dinner: Primal aspids. My favorite. I grumbled. I had absolutely no clue how I was going to force this down that arrogant grouch’s throat. Half the people in the Kingdom refuse to try the devil flies, for fear of the infection (Which I thoroughly drain out, mind you.) So no doubt Tiso would demand nothing less than a Wyrm’s feast.

I shoved those thoughts aside and set to work on draining and cutting the meat, throwing the infected flesh into a separate bag to burn later. As I worked, I felt another pair of eyes on me, and discreetly glanced at my guest. He had sat up (against my suggestions, the halfwit) and was watching me work, a curious expression mixed between confusion, disgust, and a tint of hunger on his face. I was just putting the meat on the grill, when he spoke.

“You eat that?” He blurted out. I controlled my anger at his disgust and blatant disrespect, and responded. “Yes, I do. And soon, you will too. Unless you would prefer starvation. Though, that sounds to be a pitiful end for a fighter like you.”

He laughed, “A true warrior eats nothing but the finest meals.”

I deadpanned, and he hesitated. I spoke.

“A true warrior does what is required to survive, and doesn’t get their ass kicked by a beast I’ve slain hundreds of.”

He stayed quiet after that and we ate his meal in silence. He was halfway through his aspid (which he CLEARLY didn't dislike) whenever he finally spoke again.

“Have.. You really killed that many?”

“Hm?” I murmured, looking up from my plate. He hesitated.

“I mean, that many Mawleks...” He muttered, picking through his meal for the meaty parts. I nodded.

“Of course. They’re a regular in the Colosseum, and they’re amazing for practice. They just take getting used to.” His brows wrinkled. I could tell something was on his mind

“Hey, uhm, I heard you’re pretty important to the Colosseum, through an outside source-“

“-I can tell you searched my desk, I’m not stupid-“ I interrupted, and his face flushed at being caught in his lie. He hastily brushed over the topic.

“A-Anyways! I just wanted to know... Are you a, uh, sponsor? Some sort of organizer...? Not to overstep, but, who are you, to have fought so many beasts, and on top of that, known my name...?” I was about to answer, but it seemed he couldn’t help but sputter an equal amount of bullshit for every genuinely smart question he had. “N-Not to suggest you wouldn’t have heard a name as infamous as mine!”

I brushed off my irritation and sighed. If the Mawlek statement blew the little bug’s mind, then this was sure to paralyze him. But, he had asked a question, and I was no liar. I set down my bowl and turned to him.

“Little Fool,” I began, 

“I am the Champion of the Colosseum.”


End file.
